Container structures



y 5, 1964 P. s. VAN BAARN 3,131,824

CONTAINER STRUCTURES Filed May 5, 1961 12 T WQZZKMA TM,

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,131,824 CGNTAINER STTKUCTURES Paul S. Van Baarn, New York, N.Y., assignor to Etudes, Recherches Deveioppements, E.R.D..A., Geneva, Switzerland, a corporation of Switzerland Filed May 5, 1961, Ser. No. 187,957 8 Claims. (ill. 215-41) This invention relates in general to container closure structures and closure elements therefor and in particular to a new and useful closure construction including a container having at least two encircling grooves formed adjacent a top lip opening and a combination closure element including a perforated top closure lid pouring spout for dispensing granulated and similar materials having an inwardly extending rib which snaps into position on the top groove of the container, and further including a closure member having an uppermost closure cap element which is hinged to a skirt portion and which includes an inwardly extending rib which may be snapped into sealing engagement with the other of the grooves on the container.

The present application is a continuation-in-part application of application Serial No. 658,921, filed May 10, 1957, now Patent No. 2,990,077, by the present applicant.

The present invention has particular reference to closures for containers adapted to hold powdered or granulated material which is to be dispensed through perforations formed in a closing lid for the container. Prior to the present invention, containers of this character have been provided which include a flat disc closure lid permanently sealed to the container and having perforations for the dispensing of the granular material. Some constructions include a separate cover member which is threaded onto a similarly threaded flange of the container proper in order to completely close the container. A disadvantage of such a construction is that the granular material forms in the perforations and sometimes around the side edges of the container so that it is difiicult to remove the outer closure member and in many instances the closure lid perforations become completely clogged with the material. This is particularly true, for example, with ordinary table salt when in high moisture conditions the closure lid and the outer closure cover become unusable.

A further disadvantage in prior art closure constructions of this character is that the outer closure covers which are employed cannot readily be aligned over and tightly sealed to the container after the cover has once been opened. In many instances, once the powdered cover member seal is broken it is dilficult, if not impossible, to reseal this member.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a container having an annular rim surrounding an orifice with exterior side walls adjacent the rim having annular grooves for receiving inwardly directed ribs formed on each of an inner closing lid and an outer closure cover member. The inner closure lid and the outer closure cover member are of a size and configuration that they may be assembled together and the complete assembly snap-pressed into sealing engagement with the container after the container has been filled with material.

A further feature of the invention is the novel individual constructions of the outer container closure member and the inner closure lid. The outer closure member includes an upper cap portion comprising a cover wall which extends over the opening of the container and a skirt portion which extends in a plane substantially at right angles to the cover wall downwardly along the sides of the container and includes an inwardly extending annular rib which press seats into an annular groove formed on the exterior walls of the container. The outer closure member further includes a container encircling or lower skirt portion which may be press fitted over an annular projection and into a groove formed on the container for permanent positioning thereon. The cap portion is joined to the lower skirt portion by an intermediate portion which comprises a tear strip and a hinge. The tear strip is removable by tearing the material away from the outer closure member to leave a hinge portion remaining upon which the cap portion may be swung from a closed to an opened position.

A further feature of the invention is the provision on the interior face of the cover wall of a plurality of projections or lugs corresponding in number and location to the perforations formed on the closure lid. The lugs fit into the perforations thus locking and aligning the inner closure lid and the outer closure member together. A further feature of the inwardly projecting lugs is that they continuously clean the granular material from the vicinity of the perforations in order to insure that whenever the outer closure cap portion is lifted upwardly on its hinge, the perforations will be free of any granular material and the container will be in condition for pouring.

Another very important feature of the invention is the provision of a guiding tongue which is formed as an inward extension of the cover wall adjacent the end which is hinged. The closure lid member includes a cutaway portion defining a guideway which aligns with the project ing guide member of the outer closure member so that the outer closure member is guided into proper seal ng engagement with the container over the closing lid, the projecting guide member being constrained against lateral movement in the guideway as the outer closure member is closed.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved container closure construction.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved container closure element.

A further object of the invention is to provide a combination closure element or fitment including a closure cover member and a closure lid.

A further object of the invention is to provide a closure member for a container including a cap portion having an inwardly extending rib which may be snap-sealed into a cooperating groove of a container, and a skirt portion which may be press fitted on the container below the cap portion and which includes a hinge for supporting the cap portion for pivotal movement about said hinge between an opened and a closed position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a closure member for a container having a skirt portion which is adapted to be press fitted onto the rim of a container adjacent an opening thereof and including a cover wall having an extending tongue and means for guiding the tongue so that the cover wall is properly aligned for rescaling on the container.

A further object of the invention is to provide a combination closure member and container closure lid including a lid portion having perforations therein and a guideway, and an outer closure member having a cap portion which is hinged to a lower skirt portion which encircles the container, the cap portion including a projecting guide member which cooperates and aligns with the guideway formed in the closure lid so that the cap portion may be rescaled to the container.

A further object of the invention is to provide a container having a perforated closure lid and a cap member adapted to fit over said perforated closure lid and including outstanding projections which fit into the perforations of the closure lid when the cap is sealed on said container in order to clear said perforations of material which is formed therein.

A further object of the invention is to provide a closure construction including a container having at least two separate series of annular grooves formed adjacent an open- 'ing thereof and a closure lid member having an inwardly extending rib fitting into the groove closest to the opening and an outer closure member having a cap portion with an inwardly extending rib which is press fitted into the other groove of the container.

A further object of the invention is to provide a container closure element and closure construction which are simple in design, rugged in construction and economical to manufacture.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter which there is illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention.

in the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container having a closure construction and a closure element constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is an'exploded perspective view indicating an outer closure member and an inner closure lid constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view indicating the cap portion of the outer closure member shown in an open position after the tear strip hasbeen removed;

FIG. 4 is a transverse section taken on the'line 4-4 of FIG. 1; and r FIG. 5 is a fragmentary section indicating the manner in which the guide member supports the cover in a vertical position.

Referring to the drawings in pa ticular, the invention as embodied therein includes a container 16 for granular material, such as table salt, for example; The container is advantageously made or" a material such as glass, plastic, rubber, etc.

In accordance with the invention, the container includes a neck portion 12 having an encompassing annular seating flange 14-. It should be appreciated from the outset that neither the cover nor the closure member, nor the closure lid for the cover need be of the cylindrical or circular configuration indicated in the drawings. For example, when reference is made to annular or encompassing flanges, skirts or the like, these may, in accordance with this specification, be of rectangular, circular, triangular, square or anyother outline which would permit and effect the cooperation of the parts and the elements to be set forth herein. In addition, the materials which are used in the formation of the container and closure elements are not necessarily critical; However, the container itself should be of sufii'ciently durable material in the vicinity of the container opening to provide a firm support for the closure elements which are press fitted thereon. There are many materials which will be suitable for the construction of the closure element to accomplish the press fitting .of these materials onto the container rim, for example, resilient plastics, rubber, resilient fibrous materials, etc, and any material which will eifect and permit the snap closing of the closure elements over the container would be satisfactory. Therefore, a description of the elements as being made of a particular material such as resilient polyethylene, for example, is not to be considered limiting herein since other materials having similar or identical characteristics may be employed.

, Thefcontainer it; further includes a slight projection or head 16 formed immediately above the top of the flange 14 with circumferential recesses 18 and 2%) being formed on each side thereof and a further bead 22 being formed above the recess 20. Above the bead 22 the container is 4 provided with a recess or groove 24 and above the recess 24- there is provided a recess 26. A flange 28 formed between the recesses 24 and 26 is of slightly greater diameter than the flange 38 formed adjacent a top wall 32 of the container. The wall 32 is beveled at 34 adjacent an annular opening 36 of the container.

In accordance with the invention, the container 18 is closed by an inner closure lid generally designated 38 which has a downwardly extending flange 40 with an inwardly directed rib or bead 42 which snaps over the flange 3t andfits into the groove 26. The inner closure lid 38 is covered by means of an outer closure member generally designated 44.

The outer closure member 44 includes an openable and closeable cap portion generally designated 46, a container embracing skirt portion 48 and an intermediate tear strip and hinge portion 56. The lower skirt portion '48 has an inwardly extending rib 52 which snaps into the recess or groove 20 on the container for permanent positioning thereon if desired. The intermediate portion is formed with a severable tear strip 54 which includes an outwardly extending hand tab 56 which may be pulled in the direction of the arrow 58 in FIG. 2 to open the closure.

The tear strip 54 is formed integral with the Whole closure member 44. The closure member 44 may be, for example, a single molded polyethylene piece. When the tab 56 is pulled in the direction of the arrow58 a hinge portion 69 remains, which, in the embodiment shown, in-

cludes two connecting portions between the lower skirt 24 of the container 10. After the tear strip 54 is removed the cap portion 46 may be opened by pushing a finger tab 68 formed on the skirt 64 at a location substantially diametrically opposite the hinge 60 to permit pivoting of the cap portion 46 to an opened position as indicated in FIG. 3. The hinge construction 68 is sufliciently resilient to permit complete opening with the cap portion to a position disposed alongside the container in a substantially horizontal position or below, or any intermediate position between complete closing. A feature of this construction is that after the cap portion 46 is once opened by the removal of the tear strip 54 it may be again tightly sealed over the contzu'ner by snapping it over the flange 28 into the groove 24.

The closure lid 38 which may be snapped over the flange 30 is advantageously made of a sufficiently resilient material to permit it to be removed from the container by prying it oll the flange, and thereafter replacing it if desired. The closure lid is provided with a plurality of perforations or openings '78 for pouring granular material such as salt, cheese, sugar, etc., or even powdered material, such as powdered milk, cocoa, etc. A feature of the combination construction is that the closure cover wall 62 is provided with inwardly extending projections or lugs of a number and location to align with the perforations 78 and the closure lid 38 to effect clearing of any material which may impinge adjacent these openings and insure that they are always free for pouring.

A further feature of the closure and lid construction is that the lid includes a cutaway portion defining a guideway 82 and the cap portion 46 of the outer closure in-,

contact of the walls of the guide member with the guideway 82 during the closingof the cap portion.

A further feature of the outer closure member 44 and the closure lid 38 construction is that each of these pieces may be made independently and of a material such as polyethylene. They are aligned in correct mating engagement with each other for combined assembly to a container after the container has been filled. For the purposes of aligning the closure lid and the outer closure member 44, in addition to the perforations 78 and the projections 80, there is formed a groove 86 on the closure lid and a projection 88 on the cover wall 62 which are adapted to fit together. Normally, the closure lid 38 is pressed into the closure member 44 and the combined closure piece is fed by automatic machinery for automatic insertion on a container as the closure piece is fed into association therewith.

After the closure, including the closure lid and the outer closure member, is press fitted onto the container 10, the container is tightly sealed and may be shipped without any contamination of the goods. When the goods come into the hands of the consumer, he may easily open the tear strip by pulling the tab 56. The container is still tightly sealed, however, since the annular ribs 66 of the cap portion 46 are tightly wedged in the groove 24. The cap portion 46 may be removed, however, by deflecting the tab 68 upwardly with one of the fingers to pivot the cap portion 46 above the hinge 6i and thus open the perforations 78 for the pouring of the granular material. After the granular material is dispensed in the quantity de sired, the cap portion 46 is again seated on the container and the guide member 84 fits into the guideway 82 in order to correctly align the cover for closing and positioning the projections 80 within the perforations 78. The perforations are in this manner always kept free of material which would clog them.

The guide member 84 also functions as a support for the cap portion 46. The fiat forward edge of the guide member 84 rests on top of the closure lid 38 when the cap portion is opened to a substantially vertical position halfway between the FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 positions.

A feature of the construction is that the closure lid 38 may be removed by prying it off the flange 30 if it is desired to get at the contents in the interior of the container, for example.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the invention principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

l. A closure construction comprising a container having an opening with an annular top wall adjacent said opening, a first groove defined on the exterior of said container below said top Wall, said top wall having a flange extending downwardly to said groove, a second groove defined below said first groove around said container, a flange defined between said first and second grooves, a third groove defined on said container below said first and second grooves, and a closure member press fitted on said container in sealing engagement therewith including a skirt portion having an inwardly extending bead press fitted into said third groove, and a cap portion having an inwardly extending bead press fitted into said second groove, said cap portion being hinged to said skirt portion to permit opening of said cap portion and thereafter tight sealing engagement thereof.

2. A closure for a container having an opening defined by a rim and adapted to be filled with granular material comprising a single piece cap member made of flexible material and adapted to be snapped onto a rim of said container, said cap member comprising a cap portion, a skirt portion extending in a plane at substantially right angles thereto and connected to the periphery of said cap portion by a flexible hinge portion and tear strip portion, said tear strip portion being demarcated by tear lines to permit severance thereof to leave said hinge portion connecting said skirt portion with said cap portion, and a closure lid underlying said cap member including an annular flange having an inwardly directed bead portion adapted to be snapped onto the rim of said container 45 and having a plurality of perforations thereon for dispensing of material from said container, said cap portion including projections extending inwardly from an interior wall thereof adapted to extend into the perforations of said closure lid to insure that the perforations of said closure lid are kept free of material, walls defining a guideway formed on said closure lid at a location adjacent said flexible hinge extending downwardly into said container, an elongated finger projecting from said cap portion into said guideway when said cap portion is closing said container, said finger being of a size and location to overlie said container rim and support said cap portion in a substantially vertical position when the container is opened and to engage in said guideway during the major portion of the movement of the cap portion from a vertical position to a horizontal container closing position.

3. A closure construction comprising a container for granular, powdery and similar material having an opening with an annular top wall adjacent said opening, a first groove defined on the exterior of said container below said top wall, said top wall having a flange extending downwardly to said groove, a second groove defined below said first groove around said container, a flange defined between said first and second grooves, a third groove defined on said container below said first and second grooves, a closure member press fitted on said container in sealing engagement therewith including a skirt portion having an inwardly extending bead press fitted into said third groove, and a cap portion pivotally connected to said skirt portion and having an inwardly extending bead press fitted into said second groove, said cap portion being hinged to said skirt portion to permit opening of said cap portion and thereafter tight resealing engagement thereof, a closure lid underlying said cap portion and having a skirt portion with an inwardly extending bead adapted to be press fitted into said first groove, said closure lid having a plurality of openings for sprinkling granular material, said closure member having a top wall with inwardly extending projections aligned to fit into the respective opening of said closure lid to clear away material therefrom when said closure member is seated on said container.

4. A closure construction according to claim 3, wherein said outer closure member includes an intermediate skirt portion comprising a tear strip extending substantially completely therearound, a hinge defined between the ends of said tear strip, said tear strip being severable to hinge said cap portion to said lower skirt portion.

5. A closure construction according to claim 3, including guide means on said closure lid and said closure member to permit pivotal movement of said closure member on said hinge and guiding of said closure member into alignment for closing on said container.

6. A closure construction according to claim 3, including a guide member on the interior face of said cap portion including a portion substantially perpendicular to the interior face adapted to rest on the top of said container and support said cap portion in an open substantially vertical position.

7. A closure member for a container, said container having an open top with side walls adjacent the top defining a rim and means associated with said container defining a guideway extending inwardly from the top of said container and a plurality of defined openings for dispensing material from the container comprising a closure member having a cover wall portion with an interior face adapted to close the top of said container and a skirt portion connected to said cover wall portion and extending substantially in a plane at right angles thereto for overlying the side Walls of the container adjacent the opening, said skirt portion including an upper skirt portion forming with said cover wall a cap, said upper skirt portion including an inwardly extending rib for press fitting into a recess defined on the exterior wall adja- 'said hinge remaining to connect said upper skirt portion and said lower skirt portion, said cap being removable from closing engagement with said container and being pivotable about said hinge, a' plurality of projections extending outwardly from said interior face of said cover Wall portion adapted to be inserted into the defined openings adjacent the top of said container, an elongated guide and cover supporting finger extending outwardly from and integral with the interior face of said cover wall portion at a location spaced from said skirt portionand adjacent said hinge and adapted to fit into the guideway extending inwardly from the top of said container to guide said cover to a closed position and to guide theprojections into the defined openings, said finger having a portion extending substantially perpendicular to said cover wall portion to rest on the open end of said container and to support said cover wall portion in a substantially vertical position when said cap is opened.

8. A closure member for a container according to claim 7, wherein said finger includes a curved portion extending in a plane at substantially right angles to said cover wall portions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,161,489 Long Nov. 23, 1915 v,. 2 ,5 7 ,6,416 Randlet Nov. 27, 1951 2,690,861 Tupper Oct. 5, 1954 2,695,732 Tupper" Nov. 30, 1954 2,915,214 Frankel Dec. 1, 1959 2,991,913 Goth July 11, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 204,435 Austria July 25, 1959 

3. A CLOSURE CONSTRUCTION COMPRISING A CONTAINER FOR GRANULAR, POWDERY AND SIMILAR MATERIAL HAVING AN OPENING WITH AN ANNULAR TOP WALL ADJACENT SAID OPENING, A FIRST GROOVE DEFINED ON THE EXTERIOR OF SAID CONTAINER BELOW SAID TOP WALL, SAID TOP WALL HAVING A FLANGE EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY TO SAID GROOVE, A SECOND GROOVE DEFINED BELOW SAID FIRST GROOVE AROUND SAID CONTAINER, A FLANGE DEFINED BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND GROOVES, A THIRD GROOVE DEFINED ON SAID CONTAINER BELOW SAID FIRST AND SECOND GROOVES, A CLOSURE MEMBER PRESS FITTED ON SAID CONTAINER IN SEALING ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH INCLUDING A SKIRT PORTION HAVING AN INWARDLY EXTENDING BEAD PRESS FITTED INTO SAID THIRD GROOVE, AND A CAP PORTION PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID SKIRT PORTION AND HAVING AN INWARDLY EXTENDING BEAD PRESS FITTED INTO SAID SECOND GROOVE, SAID CAP PORTION BEING HINGED TO SAID SKIRT PORTION TO PERMIT OPENING OF SAID CAP PORTION AND THEREAFTER TIGHT RESEALING ENGAGEMENT THEREOF, A CLOSURE LID UNDERLYING SAID CAP PORTION AND HAVING A SKIRT PORTION WITH AN INWARDLY EXTENDING BEAD ADAPTED TO BE PRESS FITTED INTO SAID FIRST GROOVE, SAID CLOSURE LID HAVING A PLURALITY OF OPENINGS FOR SPRINKLING GRANULAR MATERIAL, SAID CLOSURE MEMBER HAVING A TOP WALL WITH INWARDLY EXTENDING PROJECTIONS ALIGNED TO FIT INTO THE RESPECTIVE OPENING OF SAID CLOSURE LID TO CLEAR AWAY MATERIAL THEREFROM WHEN SAID CLOSURE MEMBER IS SEATED ON SAID CONTAINER. 